WWRC 85-29
Mitigation of Non-Point Source Water Quality Pollution
Using Riparian Restoration
Abstract
To determine whether beaver ponds improve the quality of water
flowing through them, water samples taken above, within, and below
several beaver pond complexes along Currant Creek were analyzed for
several water quality parameters. The role of periphytic algae in
affecting nutrient concentrations was investigated by comparing
measurements of algal productivity and standing crop to the water
quality data. Concentrations of suspended solids, total phosphorus,
NaOH-extractable phosphorus, total Kjeldahl nitrogen and nitrate were
reduced in water flowing through the beaver pond complexes. The results
of the periphyton studies indicate that while nutrient concentrations
appear to affect algal growth and standing crop, periphyton has little
affect on nutrient concentrations in Currant Creek. Periphyton may play
a minor role in reducing concentrations of nitrate in the stream by
removing nitrate from the water.
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